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Topic Review (Newest First)

04-18-2013 08:59 PM

JohnTN

One caution when installing dropped spindles. The ground clearance under the front of the car will be reduced by the amount of the spindle drop. If you have 4 inches of clearance and put in 1 inch drop spindles, your ground clearance will be reduced to 3 inches.

The approach to avoid this is to "Z" the frame behind the front wheels. This allows the body and sheet metal to drop while maintaining the front ground clearance, but the engine moves up closer to the underneath of the hood.

John

04-16-2013 10:57 PM

MARTINSR

Gene, I think that may be the place that did my brothers 59! I am going to fire him an email right now. That name rings a bell.

Brian

04-16-2013 05:54 PM

57halfton

Brian , The extended spindals in the 59 Chevy wagon brings back good memorys for me. In the early 70's I had a 65 Olds 442 that had 6 inch extended spindals in front and Ford station wagon leaf springs in the rear, The Olds road great and handled good too, all the suspension work was done by Al's automotive in South San Francisco. I sold it in 74, sure wish I knew where it is now.
Gene

04-12-2013 10:14 PM

John long

Quote:

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

Any change is corrected with one little shim.

Brian

LOL You just have to pay the guy to know which one and where.

John L

04-12-2013 10:12 PM

MARTINSR

Quote:

Originally Posted by John long

One other thing. When you alter your springs you will absolutely have to have car aligned. With the spindles it will have little effect on alignment other than caster. The reason it effects caster is because as your front comes down the angle between your ball joints (king pin angle) diminishes.

Any change is corrected with one little shim.

Brian

04-12-2013 10:10 PM

MARTINSR

Quote:

Originally Posted by John long

I'll take the truck thanks. Back in the day,we used to send axles Moredrop to get them reforged and dropped. The natural result or reforging them is that it narrows the axle slightly allowing for wider wheels. Last I heard they are still in business but it costs more to have an axle dropped than it does to buy a new one.

If I am not mistaken they are out of business. They quality had dropped a LOT over the years. Back "in the day" they did a beautiful job with it looking like it hadn't even been modified. But when I went by there in the seventies the friggin axle looked like pulled taffy, it was a HORRIBLE job. My dad managed a used car lot just down the street and you drove right by Mor-drop to get on the freeway to come home. But honestly, I hear horror stories about the king pin bosses being all distorted, they turned into an out and out hack shop.

The truck by the way is very nice. Our dad bought it in 66, brought home a 58 Buick trade in and a mechanic from the Buick dealer where he worked and the guy swapped in the 364. It was a hack job with the crossmember cut out. We both drove it to school. The frame was replaced and I now have it along with the original bed as my trailer. But this truck is very nice, the only mistake my brother regrets is the Cordova front suspension, he HATES it. But all in all it runs and drives nice.

Brian

04-12-2013 09:50 PM

John long

Quote:

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

Yeah, it isn't hack or anything like that, if you want to give it a go, pull the springs out cut a few coils off them and put them back in. The bad thing is you really are guessing how much it's going to go. Don't think if you cut 2" of the height of the spring it's going to drop 2". You change the spring rate when you cut them so it's a bit of a guess. You could also go the heating route. Put some blocks under the car at a little higher than the height you want and heat the springs with a torch until it sags down to the blocks then let it cool a good long time. Now this is a bit hack, but it's been done for years. Cutting them of course is way better, just don't go too far because then geometry gets all goofed up. But just a little lowering, a tasteful lowering, it isn't that big of a deal.

Brian

One other thing. When you alter your springs you will absolutely have to have car aligned. With the spindles it will have little effect on alignment other than caster. The reason it effects caster is because as your front comes down the angle between your ball joints (king pin angle) diminishes.

04-12-2013 09:40 PM

John long

Quote:

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

This was my brothers 59 Chevy wagon he had in the early seventies with raise spindles. It was a foot over stock!

It was a super nice car (only about 13 years old remember) that our dad took in as a trade in for only $750. It was exactly as seen but had the same 6" wide Americans in back. Those 10 inch wide Chrome wheels, they were on a number of cars and are on his truck (our fathers 55 F-100) today. He had the offset changed so they are tucked in.

Brian

I'll take the truck thanks. Back in the day,we used to send axles Moredrop to get them reforged and dropped. The natural result or reforging them is that it narrows the axle slightly allowing for wider wheels. Last I heard they are still in business but it costs more to have an axle dropped than it does to buy a new one.

04-12-2013 09:40 PM

MARTINSR

Yeah, it isn't hack or anything like that, if you want to give it a go, pull the springs out cut a few coils off them and put them back in. The bad thing is you really are guessing how much it's going to go. Don't think if you cut 2" of the height of the spring it's going to drop 2". You change the spring rate when you cut them so it's a bit of a guess. You could also go the heating route. Put some blocks under the car at a little higher than the height you want and heat the springs with a torch until it sags down to the blocks then let it cool a good long time. Now this is a bit hack, but it's been done for years. Cutting them of course is way better, just don't go too far because then geometry gets all goofed up. But just a little lowering, a tasteful lowering, it isn't that big of a deal.

Brian

04-12-2013 09:34 PM

John long

Quote:

Originally Posted by fastal_12147

if it's as rough as you're saying i don't envy you

To be honest I just sold an 85 Camino with cut front coils. It had good soft suspension bumpers and wasn't terrible but the spindles are by far better. There are thousands of cars running around with cut coils and their drivers are happy. After all they lowered theirs for free.

John

04-12-2013 09:34 PM

MARTINSR

This was my brothers 59 Chevy wagon he had in the early seventies with raise spindles. It was a foot over stock!

It was a super nice car (only about 13 years old remember) that our dad took in as a trade in for only $750. It was exactly as seen but had the same 6" wide Americans in back. Those 10 inch wide Chrome wheels, they were on a number of cars and are on his truck (our fathers 55 F-100) today. He had the offset changed so they are tucked in.

Brian

04-12-2013 09:29 PM

fastal_12147

Quote:

Originally Posted by John long

Us old guys didn't have dropped spindles when we were young Huh? We just did what we had to do.

if it's as rough as you're saying i don't envy you

04-12-2013 09:26 PM

John long

Quote:

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

Very good point I didn't even think of.

Brian

Us old guys didn't have dropped spindles when we were young Huh? We just did what we had to do.

04-12-2013 09:21 PM

MARTINSR

Quote:

Originally Posted by John long

Look at it this way. When you alter the spring IN ANY WAY to,lower a,car you loose suspension travel,which will cause it to bottom out,giving you a rough ride at best and bending something at worst.

When you use a dropped spindle you raise the axle which lowers the car but you do not change the suspension or the amount of travel. It is by far the best way.

John Long

Very good point I didn't even think of.

Brian

04-12-2013 09:20 PM

John long

Quote:

Originally Posted by fastal_12147

cool. thanks. i was looking to lower the front end of el camino and this seems like the way to go

Not the cheapest but definitely the best. Good luck. You can pay us back by posting pictures.

John

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